Curtain box structure for car windows



April 19, 1938. J. SCHUNK I CURTAIN BOX STRUCTURE FOR CAR WINDOWS Filed Sept. 10, 1936 1.1:: sen-a El mum ATTORN EYS Patented Apr. 19, 1938 NITED ST PATENT CURTAIN BOX STRUCTURE FOR CAR WINDOWS Application September 10, 1936, Serial No. 100,099

5 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improvement in curtain box structure for car windows, particularly railway cars, busses, or the like, in which the window curtain is enclosed in a box forming a permanent built-in part of the car structure. In certain structures heretofore in use it has been necessary in order to remove or install the window sash to remove or dismantle the curtain box in order to enable the upper rail of the sash to be engaged or disengaged with the upper end of the window frame. It is an object of the present invention to provide a curtain box structure which may be a permanent built-in part of the car structure and which will at the same time permit removal and installation of the window sash, without necessity for removing the curtain box, and to this end it is particularly proposed, in the exemplary illustrated embodiment of the invention, to provide one wall of the box in the form of a hinged flap which may be adjusted during the removal or installation of the sash to provide a sufilciently large opening at the top of the window frame to enable the sash to be inserted or removed at an angle.

Another object is to provide such hinged wall normally pressed toward the sash by spring pressure, and having weather-stripping means which will be automatically pressed into snug engagement with the upper end of the sash by spring pressure thereby bringing about a Weatherstripping seal between the top rail and curtain box.

With the above and other objects in view an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing and this embodiment will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a view partially in inside and partially in vertical section, taken along the line A-A of Fig. 2, the curtain and curtain roll being removed for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line BB of Fig. 1, the curtain and curtain 2, and showing the relation of the parts during insertion or removal of the window sash.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, in which one end only of the structure is illustrated, the other end being identical, the window structure comprises side posts ID, a top cross bar it of L- shape in cross-section arranged to be engaged by the outer side of the top rail of the window sash, and a sill I2, the side posts being secured to the frame structure l3 of the car, and the bar H being secured to the outer wall header structure i l of the car.

The sash comprises a top rail l5, side strips it, and a glass panel t7, the side strips being slidably mounted for vertical movement in vertically disposed channel structures mounted upon the side post it. These channel structures are of a type which permits one side of the channel to be removed for the purpose of removing the sash and each consists of an L-shaped strip l8 secured at its base to the side post 10 and the frame structure i3 by screws l9 and constituting the outer leg of the channel, and a removable strip having a recess 2| engaged upon a flange 22 of the strip 88 and constituting the inner leg of the channel. Within the channel there is provided a channel strip 23 resiliently pressed against the edge of the sash by an elongated leaf spring 2d of Z-shape in cross-section. This channel structure having a removable side leg is of the type, for example, as disclosed in the patent to Thomas G. Conway, for Box or car window construction, No. 2,012,156, dated August 20, 1935.

Upon each of the side posts it there is also provided a vertically grooved curtain guide strip 25 secured to the post 50 and frame structure l3 by screws 26.

The curtain box is mounted at the upper end 29 of the frame and comprises a top wall 2i, end walls 28, a front wall 29, and a rear wall 30, the latter terminating in upwardly spaced relation to the lower ends of the side walls 28. The curtain 3| is mounted upon a roller 32 within the box and its edges are guided in the grooves of the guide strips.

A hinge rod 33 is supported between the ends 28 of the curtain box at a point slightly in front of the rear wall and above its lower edge. A flap member 34 outwardly offset at its lower portion, as at 35, has a strip 36 secured thereon at its inner side, the lower edge of the flap being bent over upon the lower edge of the strip as at $7. The strip 36 is provided at its ends with rugs 38 bent inwardly at right angles therefrom upon which are secured ears 39 provided at the lower ends of the forwardly bent quadrant-like end pieces 36 provided at the respective ends of the flap 34, the upper edges of these end pieces being inclined and each engaged beneath the rod where it is hingedly retained in place by a headed screw G! engaging a slot 42 in the end piece, concentric to the axis of the rod 33, and which screw is screwed into a nut i3 secured to the end 23 of the box. Springs 44 are disposed upon the rod 33 and have one end 45 bearing upon the wall 3 of the box and the other end bearing upon the flap 34. Upon the outer side of the fiap 36 there is secured a weather strip 6'! which is pressed into engagement with the upper rail E 5 of the window sash by the pressure of the spring In the normal operation of the structure the screws ii are loose, so that the flap may continuously press toward the rail to thereby automatically retain the weather-stripping in tight resilient engagement therewith. When it is desired to remove the window sash the flap is pressed inwardly, as shown in Fig. 6, and is held in tln's position by tightening the screws 4|. Thereupon the side leg strips 20 of the side channels are removed and the window sash may be swung outwardly as shown, the channel strips 23 and the springs 24 being also removed. The sash is inserted in the same way, the side leg strips 29 being fitted in place after the insertion of the sash and the screws 4| being loosened to permit the flap to resume its normal position with the Weatherstripping in spring pressed engagement with the rail I5.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodiment of the invention, but it will be obvious that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a window structure, a frame including side posts, vertical channel guides carried by said side posts, a window sash engaged with said channel guides and having a top rail, a fixed horizontal top frame member at one side of said rail, a curtain box at the upper end of said frame and at the other side of said rail, a member constituting part of the wall of said curtain box movably mounted thereon in opposed and spaced relation to said fixed frame member to form a rail receiving space and adapted to be moved toward .d away from said rail whereby in the position away from said rail the width of space is increased and said window sash may be diagonally inserted in or removed from said channel gui and weather-stripping means carried by said member arranged to engage said rail.

2. In a window structure, a frame including side posts, vertical channel guides carried by said side posts, a window sash engaged with said channel guides and having a top rail, a fixed horizontal top frame member at one side of said top rail, a curtain box at the upper end of said frame and at the other side of said rail, a member constituting part of the wall of said curtain box movably mounted thereon in opposed and spaced relation to said fixed frame member to form a rail receiving space and adapted to be moved toward and away from said rail whereby in the position away from said rail the width of said space is increased and said window sash may be diagonally inserted in or removed from said channel guides, and spring means normally pressing said member toward said rail.

3. In a window structure, a frame including side posts, vertical channel guides carried by said side posts, a window sash engaged with said channel guides and having a top rail, a fixed horizontal top frame member at one side of said top rail, a curtain box at the upper end of said frame and at the other side of said rail, a member constituting part of the wall of said curtain box movably mounted thereon in opposed and spaced relation to said fixed frame member to form a rail receiving space and adapted to be moved toward and away from said rail whereby in the position away from said rail the width of said space is increased and said window sash may be diagonally inserted in or removed from said channel guides, weather-stripping means carried by said member arranged to engage said rail, and spring means normally pressing said member toward said rail.

4. In a window structure, a frame including side posts, vertical channel guides carried by said posts, a window sash engaged with said channel guides and having a top rail, a fixed horizontal top frame member at one side of said top rail, a curtain box at the upper end of said frame and at the other side of said rail, a spring pressed hinged flap member constituting part of the wall of said box disposed in opposed relation to said fixed frame member to form a rail receiving space and normally engaging said rail under spring pressure, said member adapted to be hingedly moved away from said rail whereby in the position away from said rail the width of said space is increased and said window sash may be diagonally inserted in or removed from said channel guides.

5. In a window structure, a frame including side posts, vertical channel guides carried by said posts, a window sash engaged with said channel guides and having a top rail, a fixed horizontal top frame member at one side of said top rail, a curtain box at the upper end of said frame and at the other side of said rail, a spring Ill) 

